Burnham-On-Sea town centre will be full of amazing tastes and flavours today (Saturday, 27th October) when the town’s Food Festival returns.
eat:Burnham has grown again and will have more than 150 of the region’s finest food and drink producers alongside a line-up of free entertainment.
Visitors to the popular festival – which runs from 9am to 4pm – are being advised to wrap up warm with forecasters saying the day will be dry, but cool.
The festival is spread over College Street, the High Street, Victoria Street and Princess Street and also includes the Methodist Church, Baptist Church Hall, Ritz Social Club and Princess Theatre.
13th Burnham-On-Sea food festival will be biggest yet
Bev Milner Simonds, co-organiser, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are really pleased with the line-up of traders and the great range of festival activities planned for our 13th festival in Burnham-On-Sea.”
“The positivity from visitors and local businesses about this festival spurs us on to get more creative and include more and more free elements. This wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners and of course our volunteer stewards.”
“I’m looking forward to welcoming the primary producers and livestock who help us tell the story of the connection between the countryside that surrounds us, food production and the amazing range of produce on sale at the festival.”
Sarah Milner Simonds, co-organiser, added: “We have made a few tweaks this time, like increasing the number of free from and vegan choices available, plus our low priced street food options.”
“There will be more free entertainment including a balloon modeller, Punch & Judy show and Weston’s new sea shanty singers – The Steepholmers alongside our music stage in the heart of the fetsival will be providing a laid back soundtrack to the day.”
“We welcome feedback so if readers have questions or queries please do get in touch via email at hello@eatfestivals.org.”
Over 150 traders at Burnham-On-Sea food festival
As always, the team has assembled some outstanding food and drink producers and just over 150 will be celebrating the best of the region on the day.
Expect farmers’ markets favourites like high quality beef & lamb, beers and cheeses alongside speciality teas, gourmet marshmallows, chilli oils and Guernsey ice cream.
There will be an impressive range of street food available, with global flavours made from local ingredients.
There will also be a wide range of local talent on the Retreat Demo Stage from 11am in Baptist Church on College Street.
Sarah added: “This October we are talking about game; including the ethics and sourcing. We have a fantastic range of game dealers at the festival including Robert Hawker Venison, The Real Veal Company and Stanbury Game Dealer.”
“Game can be an affordable and healthy choice for those that choose to eat meat, our carefully chosen cooks will be showing us all how to cook quick, affordable meals that taste great. Our demo stage is made possible by the sponsorship of The Retreat Caravan Park.”
Great cooks to show culinary skills at festival
The demo stage will feature at 11am the Dunstan House Inn’s Head Chef Mark showcasing their autumn and winter dishes.
12noon will be Steve Fowell, School Chef of the Year SW regional winner 2017, who will be sharing his ability to create inspiring food for just over £1 a portion. Steve wants to reignite a passion for cooking with the family. In his fast-paced, high energy demo Steve will create an awesome dish using meat from Robert Hawker Venison.
At 1pm, see Brad Edrich, Junior Sous Chef at the new Marco Pierre White restaurant in Bridgwater. Brad will be putting all his local knowledge to the test with a time limited challenge. Brad will be sourocing all the ingredients for his demo from the festival that morning – developing a dish from scratch to cook for you live at 1pm.
2pm will see Stefano Salvati, of Stefano’s Food, pictured above, take the stage. Stefano brings his Italian passion to his cooking and he will be preparing pheasant & chorizo polpette. Stefano uses wild food in many of his recipe’s and hates the waste in the game shooting industry.
3pm will see Maureen Suan-Neo, founder of Nonya Secrets, featured. Maureen will be raising the temperature with south east Asia flavours. She will be cooking venison – but the exact spicing may remain a secret!
Join free cookery school at Burnham-On-Sea food festival
The Hawksmoor Cookery School will be in Burnham’s Ritz Social Club, alsongside the cider festival. It is free and hosted by Delicious in Taunton’s Chrissie Godfrey, who will be leading a hands-on workshop for you to make your own sushi.
“You will be using nori sheets, cooked and prepared sushi rice, and a choice of vegetables. Making your own maki roll with a soy and ginger dipping sauce – all lovely and sticky and fun!”
“Then you will be making gram flour pancakes: preparing your choice of finely diced vegetables, frying a chick pea batter pancake with the veg mixed in, whilst making a tomato, coriander and lime salsa.”
There are lots of opportunity to taste, adjust, share and discuss. All the recipes are available for you to take home with you afterwards.The classes are suitable for adults and families with children aged 8+, they are vegan and you can drop in between 10.30 – 12.30, and 1.30 – 3.30 to have a go.
Family entertainment at Burnham’s food festival
Family entertainment and things to see during the day will include livestock, strolling entertainment, music and Punch & Judy shows – all free of charge.
The organisers have partnered with North Somerset Council and Griffin Cycles to offer incentives to cyclists to dust off their bikes and cycle into the festival.
There is dedicated cycle parking in the heart of the festival area and free saddle covers for anyone riding in. Griffin Cycles will also offer a free cycle check up to make sure you are riding safely.
Sustainability at the festival
The organisers are reminding visitors to make some preparations ahead of the festival. Bev explained: “We know that the festival is a popular event in the local calendar and that means the area around the festival can get very congested with traffic. We are working with Travelwest and Buses of Somerset to promote walking, cycling or taking the bus into the festival.”
“We hope that the good weather will hold and many people will choose to walk or cycle into the festival. Online, the organisers are laying down a challenge to try and beat organiser Bev’s step count for the day, which is usually over 23,000 – check out the Facebook page for more details.”
“The team have high sustainability criteria for their production and the producers at their festivals. In 2018 there have made many improvements including that the festivals will be single-use plastic free with all serve ware being compostable.”
Sarah added: “eat:Festivals have an environmental impact; requiring transport, energy, water, materials, and producing waste and generating emissions. They have a lasting social impact on the local communities. We have an opportunity, through our festivals, to inspire visitors through a raised awareness of environmental and sustainability matters; sharing our management decisions on reducing our environmental impact in partnership with our crew, our sponsors, local authorities, suppliers and traders is one way.”
